<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Love, Richie by BiBitchBee</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25953766">Love, Richie</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/BiBitchBee/pseuds/BiBitchBee'>BiBitchBee</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King, Stranger Things (TV 2016)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, First Kiss, Gay Eddie Kaspbrak, Gay Richie Tozier, Getting Together, Gun Violence, Idiots in Love, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Love Letters, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining, Richie Tozier Has ADHD, Richie Tozier Loves Eddie Kaspbrak, Richie Tozier Thinks He's Funny, Richie Tozier and Mike Wheeler Are Twins, Richie Tozier is a Little Shit, Soft Richie Tozier, Sonia Kaspbrak's A+ Parenting, The Hammock (IT), implied gun violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 08:01:05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,920</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25953766</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/BiBitchBee/pseuds/BiBitchBee</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Dear Eddie,</p><p>        Hi, it's Richie, and yes I actually called you Eddie. My therapists (who you might know as Stan and Bev) both said that if I keep just "ignoring my feelings" it'll only hurt more. They said I should tell you, but fuck that, y'know? So, I'm writing a letter that I'll never give to you just to get it all out of my head. I'll try not to joke because Bev says that's "hiding my emotions behind a mask of humor" and no one's going to read this anyway.</p><p>***<br/>This has nothing to do with Love, Simon or Love, Victor I'm just bad at titles</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ben Hanscom/Beverly Marsh, Ben Hanscom/Eddie Kaspbrak, Beverly Marsh &amp; Richie Tozier, Bill Denbrough &amp; Eddie Kaspbrak, Bill Denbrough/Stanley Uris, Eddie Kaspbrak &amp; Beverly Marsh, Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Richie Tozier &amp; Stanley Uris, The Losers Club/The Losers Club (IT), Will Byers/Mike Wheeler</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>108</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Love, Richie</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Eddie really wasn't expecting today to be this eventful. It was supposed to be just a regular Friday. But he slept through his alarm for the first time in three years and then his mom tried to convince him it was a side effect of hanging out with her friends too much, or something equally as stupid. He was late to homeroom. Then had a pop quiz in history, and he was pretty sure he failed because he couldn't will himself to remember a single thing on the test. He had his next class with Richie, and that helped him feel better but then at lunch, he realized he didn't have any food and he ate Ben's apple. At the end of lunch, he saw Richie put something in his locker and was hesitant to open it for the rest of the day. There was a fire drill during his math class and he didn't have his sweatshirt. It was a pretty normal temperature for an October day, but he was wearing a t-shirt that left him shivering through the next two periods. At the end of the day, he finally opened the locked and saw Richie had put an envelope in his locker. He stuffed it in his bag and then realized he had to walk home. He asked Stan for a ride, but Stan was giving Bill a ride too and Eddie didn't want to be the third wheel so he opted to walk. When he finally got home, his mother was at some middle-aged mom class (maybe cooking class?) and he was finally able to retreat into his room for a semblance of peace.</p><p>He tossed his bag on his bed and they spilled out onto it. He scrunched up his face and went to clean them up. He did, pulling out his weekly planner to see his weekend homework and placing it on his desk. Beside it was the white envelope he had found in his locked with <em>EDDIE </em>written on it in all capitals, done by Richie's familiar scrawl. It used to be chicken scratch to him, but after years of reading passed notes and copying homework answers, it was as familiar as Stan's neat penmanship. He couldn't help but feel that the envelope was important, and not just some prank envelope that would spit glitter at him. It had to be, or Richie would've handed it to him face-to-face. Eddie chewed the inside of his cheek, a nervous tic he had always had, and weighed his options. </p><p>It could be a prank letter, such as Richie begging for his mother's hand in marriage for not the first and most certainly not the last time. Or it could be real, like when Richie came out to him by letter because it was easier than seeing his reaction. Eddie had the letter stashed in a shoebox under his bed, where he was sure his mother would never look. She used to come in and inspect his room daily, but now she waits until he's out of the house. He learned that the hard way when he had yet to tell his mother that he was gay and she found a gay pride flag in the back of his closet. He lived with Bill for a week when she tried to send him to a conversion therapist before she came to him, begging to come back and swearing to pretend she never saw anything. He kept the flag on his desk now as a reminder to her that he has it in him to leave if he wants to enough. </p><p>Eddie carefully flipped the letter over and broke the seal with his thumb. Richie never sealed his letters like a normal person, because he's Richie. So the seal popped and the little dog sticker at the end of it ripped in two. It was a few pages of looseleaf paper, all filled with Richie's words. It felt delicate in his hands as he unfolded it and placed the empty envelope beside him on the bed.</p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p>Dear Eddie,</p>
  <p>        Hi, it's Richie, and yes I actually called you Eddie. My therapists (who you might know as Stan and Bev) both said that if I keep just "ignoring my feelings" it'll only hurt more. They said I should tell you, but fuck that, y'know? So, I'm writing a letter that I'll never give to you just to get it all out of my head. I'll try not to joke because Bev says that's "hiding my emotions behind a mask of humor" and no one's going to read this anyway. I'll try to go in order but the ADHD might throw that off. Okay. I first realized in the clubhouse.</p>
</blockquote><p>Eddie stopped. <em>Realized what? Is this his second coming out? Is he coming out again because I will fucking kick him in the nuts. </em>He continues on, already prepped to inflict violence on Richie.</p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p>Specifically, the hammock. I mean, where else? I was just chillin, reading a comic book, when you flew down the ladder and flopped in next to me. Your hair was a mess because you had just escaped a run-in from Bowers. I still can't believe it took them a year to trace his dad's death to him. Like he hasn't shown clear homicidal tendencies before now.  Right, so you were wearing a yellow polo shirt and those red shorts that you used to wear that could make me go fucking feral. You just put your head on hy chest and asked me what I was reading in the softed voice I've ever heard you use. I explained it to you amd you had already fallen asleep by the time I was done rambling. I kissed the top of your head and put my arm around you. I thought to myseld how <strike>hot</strike> cute ypu looked and how much i wanted to kiss you. That was pretty much when it hit me. How much I'm in love with you.</p>
</blockquote><p><em>Uh, what? </em>He reread the line four times to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. <em>Holy shit. He loves me. Does he love me? Why would he love me? This has to be a prank. </em></p><p><em>But why would this be his prank? </em>Asked a voice that sounded like Stan. <em>You know anytime he pranks you, he tells Beverly about his idea and she already knows how you feel about him and definitely wouldn't give him the go-ahead. </em></p><p><em>Shut up. </em>He told the voice.</p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p>God, Eds, it feels good to tell you. Even if it is just for shits and giggles. So, after that is when I enlisted Staniel to be my person therapist numero uno. I would complain to him about how good you looked, how much I desperately want you to cuddle me when i'm scared. Which is a lot more then you would think. Scared of the Bowers gang, scared of the house on neibolt street, scared of IT, scared of the past, scared of the future, scared of you.</p>
</blockquote><p>
  <em>Scared of me? Why the hell would he ever be scared of me? I can barely leave a bruise on his arm if I hit him at my hardest, what harm could I ever do to him?</em>
</p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p>Fuck, I'm scared of you Eddie Kasprack. You terrify me to my very core because you have so much power over me. You could convince me to do anything, so long as you looked me in the eye and said please. If you asked me to go live in the sewers with Patrick Hockstetter, Betty Ripsom, Georgie's left arm and the rest of the floating bodies, I would do it in a heartbeat. If you asked me to tell my parents all my secrets just for fun, I so would. If one day, you asked me- and I mean <span class="u">really</span> asked me- to put a bullet through my own skull, I wouldn't even question it.</p>
</blockquote><p><em>What the fuck!? </em>Eddie's head was flying a mile a minute as the imagery described passed through. He felt tears rising up and immediately brushed them away, but the didn't stop. He put the letter down momentarily to regather his bearings. <em>Okay, would Richie go to these great lengths for a prank? He does commit to it when he goes for something, but never like this.</em></p><p><em>He wouldn't. </em>Stan-voice commented smugly. Eddie shushed it again, picking up the letter with shaky fingers.</p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p>And that fucking <em>terrifies </em>me, Kaspbrack. That I would go to such lenghts not to lose <strike>what we have</strike> you. But I can't help it. When I wrote a letter to Mike (not Hanlon, but I'll get to that in a second) he told me that the same thing happened with Will. Will would quite possibly take thier entire town hostage just for Mike, which made him too scared to act on his feelings. Until his therapist suggested writing a letter, and then they started dating, like <strike>your mom and I are</strike> you and I should be.</p>
</blockquote><p><em>Oh, wow, okay. That hurts the heart. </em>He thought dully as he let a smile come across his face. '</p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p>Oh shit, I guess I have to explain Mike now, huh?</p>
</blockquote><p>Eddie snorted. <em>Yeah, that'd be helpful, dipshit.</em></p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p>Right, so I picked up the phone one day and I'm like "Tozier household,Richie speaking." because I can be polite when I want to, and the woman on the line was like "Richie? Oh my god you're so old now!" and I was like "Sorry, who is this?" and she said "I'm Karen, your birth mother." and I was like "my <em>what </em>now?". So long story short, my birth mom had an affair on ym step-dad and got preggers with dos boys. She and her husband got one, and my dad got me! He met my mom like a year later and then they got married. So I have an older half-sister Nancy, a younger half-sister Holly, a step-dad Ted, and a twin brother Mike. </p>
</blockquote><p><em>What? </em>Seemed to be the only word Eddie knew, seeing as it was the only thing his mind could pronounce. He reread the paragraph a couple of times before he really grasped it. <em>Maggie's his step-mom</em><em>? He has a whole ass other family. Alright. Okay. </em></p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p>It felt really weird, which is why I never told anybody. So me and Mike send eachother letters cause it's more fun than texting. Any whoosits,</p>
</blockquote><p>Eddie laughed, <em>God, he's such an idiot.</em></p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p>Mike said Will told him how he felt in a letter, and then stuffed it in his locker. Kinda <strike>corny</strike> cute, so I brought up the idea to Bev who started to do the jumping thing she does sometimes. She basically told me to write a secret admirers note but I'm no Haystack, so... this. I still don't think I'm gonna send it or anything but I am going to do a social experiment and write the answers here for you to see if I do send it.</p>
  <p>How do the Losers describe love? - A Richie Tozier(-Wheeler) Expiriment</p>
</blockquote><p><em>Okay, the last name's gonna take some getting used to. </em>Eddie chuckled glumly and turned to a new page.</p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p>Beverly "Bev" Marsh, Molly Ringwald: "Love is a breath of fresh air after being underwater for too long. It fills your lungs, renewing your energy and firing your brain into action. When you fall in love, you realize how much you've been drowning without them. Ben pulled me out from the water a long time ago and I'm so gratefull." [She then hugged Ben, and it seemed like an Emotional Moment (tm) so I left and asked Ben later]</p>
  <p>Stanley "Stan" Uris, Stan the Man: "Love is... a flower. A beautiful flower that you see and instanly know you <span class="u">have</span> to have it. At first, you're all delicate, not wanting to break the fragile beauty. But you'll usually find that it's more resilient than that. [He stared across the hallway at Bill like he was in a hallmark movie and pining was his goddamn life's work even though they're already together. It was disgustin] Especially for ypou and Eddie. Right now you're tiptoeing sround and not trusting yourself to not break what you have, because you think it will break. But you've got to just go for it, Rish. Trust me, you won;t regret it.</p>
  <p>William "Bill" Denbrough, Big Bill: [He stuttered a lot but my hand is cramping up and if I sit here for longer then I need to I think my brain will shut down so] "Loveis like a glass wall. that sounds stupid, hold on. [He stopped to think. It took several minutes. I don't understand how he thinks hes going to be a writer just stick with art??] So, your whole life, you're just in a room. And when you fall in love, it's like a window is put in. And It's beautiful and pretty and new and exhilerating and you want to spend your whole life looking through that window. sometimes, it might not be super beautiful and you have to shut the blinds, but at least you know that there is a window. I hope that made sense, I don't think it did, sorry Rich."</p>
  <p>Michael "Mike" Hanlon, Homeschool: "I've never been in love, I know that much. Ben, Bev, Bill, Stan, and you all have. [Oh yeah, all the Losers know I have a super big massive fucking gay ass crush on you. Hope you don't mind.] </p>
</blockquote><p>Eddie stopped to take a couple of breaths. <em>Super big massive fucking gay ass crush. Prank?</em></p><p><em>No! </em>Yelled the Stan voice, sounding exasperated. Eddie did not know if he was listening to it yet. Stan-voice groaned loudly.</p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p>I'm pretty sure Eddie at the least has a semblance of an idea. [He blinked at me twice and continued] So, here's what I've got. Love from the outside. Love is when seeing someone changes your entire mood. Bev once came into the clubhouse and ranted for a straight thirty minutes about something Greta said, but immediately started smiling and being happy as soon as Ben came down. It's when being with each other makes your lives better. Bill and Stan have been working on speech therapy for Bill, and Bill's been helping Stan be more Stan to the rest of the world. [I didn't understand what that meant, but it wasn't the point so I didn't ask him] It's when they make you just want to melt into a puddle where you stand because no matter how they look or what they do they just tug at your heartstrings and make you want to hug them and kiss them and cuddle them forever.</p>
  <p>Benjamin "Ben" Hanscom, Haystack: Love is like a Saturday, in some ways. It's something you look forawrd too. It's there in the distance on a shitty Monday, and just the idea of Saturday is what helps you to pull through the pop quiz. And when you finally get to Saturday? You have a whole list of things planned out to do, but you usually just end up chilling with your friends. But you wouldn't change it for a thing. [You would think that he'd give a longer answer, being hte poet but I actually think this is the best answer I got so...]</p>
  <p>Edward "Eddie" Kasprack, Spagheddie, Eds, Eddie Spaghetti, Shagheds, Eduardo:</p>
</blockquote><p>Eddie rolled his eyes, but he didn't remember what he said, so he kept reading.</p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p>[First of all, when asked <em>What is love? </em>you began to sing the entire song, and didn't stop until the song was finished. Granted, I sang with you but come one. This is A Richie Tozier(-Wheeler) Experiment, I expexpected you to be more professional, Eds. Tehn, when you realized I was looking for an actual answer, you blushed and looked at the floor] I don't know, Rich. How the hell am I supposed to know? I'm only sixteen and it's not like I have a good model of it from home. All we really know is we can't control it and it makes us feel funny. But we're still kids, dumbass. [You hit me on the shoulder and asked me for my science homeowrk] <strike>[It was really cute]</strike></p>
  <p>So, yeah. What else, hmm? I don't really know what else to say, but let's just keep this ball rolling. So, Eddie. How's life?</p>
</blockquote><p>He snorted.</p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p>Good? That's good. Mine, not so much. See, I'm kinda in love with this straight boy that just so happens to be one of my all-time best friends. Like, just last week we were all hanging out at Bill's and you were late. So I texted you and you responded with <em>Richie, honey, shut up. </em></p>
</blockquote><p>Eddie remembered writing that as he struggled to find a lie his mom would believe. It had taken all his courage to send it, and he ended up just going out the window a few minutes later. It was almost a month ago now. It makes him wonder how much courage it took to put the letter in his locker. </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p>I honest-to-god short circuted. Stan had to hit me across the face to reboot me about four seconds before you walked in. Beverly found it absolutely hilarious.  Do you remember when we got Bill and Stan to finally start dating? </p>
</blockquote><p>He looked back with a smile. It was almost two years ago now, he thinks. They were in freshman year at the time, and Richie claimed they needed to do something just the "core four" Losers. Stan had said something akin to <em>Fuck off Richie, I'm going birdwatching. </em>So Richie, Eddie, and Bill joined him. Richie and Eddie ditched almost immediately. Technically, it was Bev's plan. She had made a group chat named <em>Stenbrough</em>, called it their ship name. Richie had cornered Stanley before Bill had arrived and told him to get his shit together, to which Stan had snorted and said <em>Says you. </em>Which made Richie blush. That part was starting to make a little bit more sense.</p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p>It was a great week for all of us. We went birdwatching, the four of us. We ditched, all along to Miss Marsh's orders. They stayed and looked at boring old man bird shit and we got ice cream. I got mint cookie dough, and you got vanilla with rainbow sprinkles. I let you try some of mine, and joked about stealing yours but I wouldn't unless you said it was okay because I know how you get sometimes. We sat on the bench by the Paul Bunyan statue that still gives me nightmares because that bitchass clown brought the giant staue to life and I almost shit my pants in the middle of the square. I almost got the guts to actually tell you when a circus clown went by giving red balloons out to little kids and you had a panic attack. I talked you down, and you asked how I stayed calm. I'm pretty sure I made a joke but I was lying my ass off. I was terrified. But I knew that if you were having a panic attack, you need ed something to ground you. So I put my arm on your shoulder even thought I wanted to hold your hand and I did your breathing exercises with you until you calmed down. I smacked the inhaler to the ground when you tried to pull it out, but if you really needed it I would have given you the spare I keep in my back pocket. I still keep it with me, even if you aren;t with me and even though you stopped carrying yours five months ago. But after that, we just kept talking and bickering about my stupid jokes. When we went back later, Stan and Bill were holding hands and the whole time all I could think about is how it would've felt if I'd gotten the guts to hold your hand back there. The whole walk home I was in my head, getting up the nerve to do it. I missed going by Stan's house and I didn't give Bill any shit for going in with him. I almost fucking did it, too. I hooked out pinkie fingers together for a brief moment of bliss- it felt like a promise. A pinkie promise that I won't forget for a day in my life, Eds- when your mom came out anf hurried you inside because she hates me. I went home and screamed into the void for an hour straight. I think I sobbed a little too. I wished so badly that you would bring it up so Icould tell you how I feel. But you didn't, so I didn't.</p>
</blockquote><p>Eddie remembered that too. During the walk back, he recognized Richie was out of it because he was silent. Stan poked fun at him but left him alone to think, mainly. When Stan and Bill left, he had been so uncomfortable because he was never in silence when he was with Richie. So he rambled on about some class they were in together, groaning about the workload and the old-as-bones teacher and hoped Richie would join in. When Richie locked their fingers together, it was the first time Eddie shut his mouth the whole walk. He went silent for the duration of the finger-holding and wondered if it meant the same thing to Richie as it did to him. It felt like a peace offering. A welcome invitation into Richie's mind. When Richie was quiet, he was thinking hard. He didn't do it often, but he did it enough for each Loser to understand that it meant to let him be. The contact felt like Richie had said <em>No one's allowed but you </em>and it made Eddie feel like smiling until his face split in half. But then his mother came out, yelling about <em>the </em><em>dirty boy</em> and <em>don't touch him</em> and <em>AIDS</em> because somehow everyone in the damn town was stuck in the '80s.</p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p>Do you remember watching the Shining together? Well, it was the six of us, because Mike had to work on the farm. Stan and Bill took the loveseat, because they're gross. Ben and Bev sat on a blanket on the floor, and I called dibs on the big couch because it was my house. There was a recliner and the rest on the long couch, but you scrunched up your node, sat right next ot me, and stole my blankets. You called me a dipshit, but then you whispered to me that you didn;t do good with horror movies, especially after IT. So after one of the jumpscares, I put my arm around you. You reacted instantly, by stuffing your face in my neck and snugglig right up into me. I think I stopped breathing for a full minute. You asked after how I wasn't scared, and in all honesty I could not tell you what movie we watched until Bev reminded me a few minutes after you left.</p>
  <p>So yeah. I'm in love with you and I finally decided to write this letter because watching you smikle or laugh at one of my dumb jokes makes me ache inside. Like, whenever we say "love you, bye" it ohysically hurts because I know you'll never mean it the same way I do. But I'm okay with that and I just needed to get it all out. So, thanks for listending. I guess. I'm still not sending this so.</p>
  <p>Love,</p>
  <p>       Richie.</p>
  <p>
    <em>p.s. i was wearing socks when i wrote it so it doesnt have to be gay if you don't want it to be lmao</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>p.p.s. i just realized i just left something out, oops. if i ever give you this, i might just show it to you,</em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>The final line is written sloppily, in different colored ink. Clearly it was scribbled down before the letter was shoved into his locker,</p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em>p.p.p.s. okay, so, i;m about to put this in your locker and i'm like really scared. so, uh, don't hate me. okay? that's all i need. i'm not asking you to love me back because look at me, those are unreliable standards for you tomeet. just don't hate me. okay, thanks. love you.</em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>Eddie scoffs. <em>Like it's unrealistic to think I love you back, Richie. God, you're such an idiot. </em>He carefully folds the pages back up and put them back in the envelope. He digs under his bed to fish out his shoebox and puts the letter in carefully. It was sacred, after all. Then, Eddie picks up his phone and dials Richie as fast as his fingers will allow him to go. <em>Ring... ring... ring.. ring... ring... You have reached the voicemail box of- </em>Eddie let out a loud groan and called again. And again. And again. He texted <em>Answer your phone, Richie </em>before calling again. It went to voicemail again and he let out a loud, exasperated sigh like the Stan-voice in his head. He called Beverly instead.</p><p>"Hey, Eddie. What's up?"</p><p>"Yeah, mhm, sure, whatever. Tell Richie to answer his fucking phone." </p><p>"Wow, feeling the love here, Kasprack,"</p><p>"Beverly, he told me."</p><p>She was silent on the other line.</p><p>"He stuffed a letter in my locker at lunch and now he isn't answering his phone."</p><p>She cursed under her breath. "I'll talk to him."</p><p>He sighed relief as the dial tone of her hanging up spat out at him. He fiddled with his fingers anxiously for a few minutes, waiting for a reply from either. When nothing came, he opened the box again and re-read the letter. He skimmed it this time, instead of emotionally invested reading, and put it away as soon as his phone vibrated. <em>Try him now. If he doesn't answer, he's in the clubhouse.</em></p><p>He didn't even thank her before he was calling Richie again. <em>Ring... ring... ring.. ring... ring... You have reached the voicemail box of Richie Tozi-</em></p><p>Eddie put the letter away and put the box under his bed. He left a note to his mother that he would be at Ben's, and typed a hasty text to Ben to cover for him if his mom calls. He was stomping his way to the clubhouse. he yanked open the door and jumped in past the ladder, something Richie had dared him to on the first entrance of their underground sanctuary. He refused then, but he didn't even hesitate now. It saved him time. Richie was swinging on the hammock, looking sorry for himself. He jumped on Eddie's landing. He must've seen the angry look on his face because he turned even sadder and sunk his head. </p><p>"Eds, I-"</p><p>Eddie cut him off by seizing a fistful of his obnoxious t-shirt and kissing him full on the mouth. Richie didn't react. He had sort of expected him too, given the letter. Unless it really was a prank that he went too far on and the hypochondriac had just taken the bait. Hook, line, and sinker. Eddie pulled away, suddenly expecting the Trashmouth to curse at him. <em>You actually thought I could love someone as fucked up as you? You actually bought that shit? Wow, you're even more desperate then I thought, Eddie. Get the fuck away from me, freak.</em></p><p>He did not. Richie grabbed his shoulders and pulled him back in for another kiss, and this time they were both aware. It was indescribable, unlike anything Eddie had felt. He had kissed Fiona Garland in fifth grade because she expected him too, and he didn't know how to say no when she asked him. It was nothing like this. That was two confused and unknowing children pecking each other because that's what they saw adults do. This was Richie and Eddie, already in deeper love then most people would ever get in their life. They were seventeen, sure, and still didn't know a whole lot about the world but they did know they were going to face it together.</p><p>They pulled away, both breathless. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that," Eddie said and Richie gave an incredulous laugh.</p><p>"I've been pining after you since we fucking met, Spaghetti. I think I win this round."</p><p>Eddie laughed and put his nose into the crook of Richie's neck, sinking into the hammock next to him. "I love you so much, Richie. It's actually ridiculous."</p><p>Richie's breath caught and it sounded like he was crying, but Eddie just kept himself tucked into his best friend and hugged him a little tighter. "Oh my god, this is usually where I wake up." His voice was thick with tears, and Eddie gave him another quick squeeze, finally untucking his head and placing a soft kiss on Richie's jawline. "I love you too, Eds." He whispered back. There was a loud clattering and Bill tumbled down the ladder.</p><p>"Get out," Eddie said, voice level and unmoving. He stayed nuzzled at Richie's side and threatened their leader anyway and Richie laughed loudly. Bill climbed back up the ladder. "Do you wanna be my boyfriend, Rich?" His voice flipped instantly from on edge to a soft whisper and it was one of the things Richie loves about him. There were many.</p><p>"More than anything in the world, baby." Richie leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to Eddie's forehead and Eddie smiled softly, e=before sitting up.</p><p>"Okay, now we can talk about the whole brother thing."</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>